North Kyoto Bike Tour, Lunch

North Kyoto Bike Tour, Lunch, 5 to 6 hours, rated 4.9 across 1,115 traveller reviews.

Overview

This Cycle Kyoto ride spends five to six hours covering the north of the city on a Cannondale bike, with a Japanese lunch included in the day. The tour starts at the Cycle Kyoto shop in Minami Ward at 10:00, with riders asked to arrive 15 minutes early, and finishes back at the same point. Groups are capped at 8 travellers, and riders must be at least 13 years old and comfortable on a bike.

The route calls at Nishi Honganji, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and Kinkaku-ji, with the Kyoto Imperial Palace passed along the way, before a stop in Gion. Admission to Kinkaku-ji is included in the tour price, and the other stops are free to enter. A guide leads the whole way, which reviewers repeatedly credit with taking them through back streets and quieter corners they would not have found alone.

It suits travellers with moderate fitness who want to cover a lot of ground on a first or early day in the city. One reviewer described booking it on a first full day so they could cross sights off their list and work out where to go next. Lunch is included, along with bottled water, but extra drinks and gratuities are not.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Cycle KyotoArrive 15 minutes before the 10:00 start at the shop in Minami Ward. The stop lasts about 15 minutes.
2. Nishi HonganjiA roughly 15 minute stop at the temple complex, free to enter.
3. Kitano Tenmangu ShrineAbout 20 minutes at the shrine, with no admission fee.
4. Kinkaku-jiAround 30 minutes at Kinkakuji Temple, with admission included in the tour. The Kyoto Imperial Palace is passed by en route.
5. GionA final stop of about 10 minutes in Gion, free to enter, before the ride returns to the meeting point.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in the listing and in traveller reviews.

• Fitness and pace. The listing asks for moderate physical fitness, and the ride runs five to six hours with stops spread through the day. Reviewers describe the route as safe and well paced, with plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
• Getting there. The meeting point is the Cycle Kyoto shop in Minami Ward, and the listing says to arrive 15 minutes early. One reviewer warned that Kyoto Station is easy to get lost in, so allow extra time if you are coming from there.
• Lunch and water. Lunch and bottled water are included, and reviewers describe the meal as a highlight of the day. Extra drinks and gratuities are not included.
• Weather planning. The tour requires good weather and will be rescheduled or refunded if cancelled for rain. One reviewer's advice, echoed by another who had to shuffle days, is to book it early in your trip so you have spare days if it gets postponed.
• Group feel. The maximum group size is 8, and reviewers describe the day as relaxed and conversational. One traveller with a group of 5 found it hard to hear at the back at times, so staying close to the guide helps.
• Dietary needs. The listing asks that dietary requirements be known ahead of time, so flag any when you book.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for travellers with back problems or pregnant travellers. Riders must be at least 13 and comfortable on a bike, and the listing requires no heart problems or other serious medical conditions. Weather can force a postponement, and the tour also needs a minimum number of travellers to run, otherwise a different date or a full refund is offered. One reviewer found the guide's knowledge limited at times and struggled to hear from the back of a group of 5, and one noted the return leg was ridden fairly quickly to finish on time.

Common Questions